The present subject matter relates in general to semiconductor technology, and in particular to power semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same.
Electrode-semiconductor rectifiers comprise a broad range of semiconductor devices that have a conductive electrode layer contacting a semiconductor layer to form an electrical junction between the two materials that has an asymmetric current-voltage characteristic. A typical asymmetric current-voltage characteristic has a greater amount of current conduction for one voltage orientation (e.g., “forward-bias” voltage) than for another voltage orientation (e.g., “reverse-bias” voltage). An example of a electrode-semiconductor rectifier is a Schottky-barrier diode. Other types of electrode-semiconductor rectifiers exist.